Pacific and sea lamprey are not the same species

We recently read the letter to the editor “Restoring lamprey populations could have a negative impact on state’s salmon.”

While we appreciate the author’s concern for salmon, we feel compelled to set the record straight about Pacific lamprey. First, Pacific lamprey are not sea lamprey. The two are entirely different species of fish. Sea lamprey are an invasive species that have damaged the ecosystems of the Great Lakes, and Pacific lamprey are not invasive, they are a native species.

Although Pacific lamprey are parasitic in the ocean, adults stop feeding when they re-enter freshwater. In their service to our region, Pacific lamprey help salmon, not hurt them. Healthy lamprey returns mean more marine nutrients make their way back into our ecosystems. These nutrients provide the basic building blocks for healthy rivers and streams.

When lamprey populations are healthy, predators such as sea lions, have a viable food source that is not the region’s salmon and steelhead runs. Pacific lamprey are not to be feared.

They have provided the ecological foundation of the Pacific Northwest for 450 million years and are part of a healthy ecosystem.